Shaw Foundation's Shaw Vee King believed to be among those on board

Jun 13, 2007
AsiaOne

SEVEN Singaporeans made up of prominent businessmen and professionals are being detained at a naval port in the Indonesian province of West Kalimantan for the past two weeks.

The yacht they were on, the Sea Shaw, is owned by the Shaw Foundation's Shaw Vee King, who is also believed to be among those detained, according to The Straits Times today.

The yacht is believed to have strayed into Indonesian waters without going through immigration and port clearance.

The ST report says they were believed to have been nabbed by officers on board an Indonesian naval ship in waters off the coast of Pontianak, the provincial capital of West Kalimantan, some time after setting off from Singapore in late May.

The Sea Shaw was due to return on June 4.

A man who claimed to be on the yacht told The Straits Times on Monday that the group had been on a scuba diving trip.

He declined to be named but said the yacht was also carrying 11 crew members made up of Thai and Philippine nationals, and that they were all in good condition. He added that a fine has to be paid to secure their release.

Mr Jerry Tan, 41, a manager at Raffles Marina, said boats need to dock and get clearance at Nongsa Point in Batam before moving further into Indonesian waters.

"In recent times, hardly anyone gets detained in such a manner. They usually get let off with a warning," he said.

On top of getting clearance in Batam, a cruising licence which costs US$300 (S$460) is required for Singapore-registered boats to sail into Indonesian waters. It is valid for three months and can be obtained from the Indonesian embassy here.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a press statement: "The MFA and the Singapore consulate in Pekanbaru are aware of this case.'

"We are in touch with the Singaporeans involved and will render them the necessary consular assistance."

For the full story, read The Straits Times today.

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